Yeah...Long updates eh? Sorry about that. To attempt and make up for it, keyword being "attempt", this chapter is longer than most. Also this fic is song chapter, meaning there is a song in it, so that made it slightly longer but still. Here it comes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina. If I did, Keitaro would be paired with Motoko and not Naru.
Italics - Song
Bold italics - Flashback
Chapter 6: What I Got
(Urashima's POV)
Early in the morning, risin' into the streets
Light me up that cigarette and I strap shoes on my feet
Got to find a reason, reason thing went wrong
Got to find a reason why my money's all gone
Damn...That's it. I can't seem to remember the rest of that song. Its from a band from the mid-nineties in the US. I used to listen to them after I came home from school every day. Or I suppose, Keitaro used to listen to them.
You know, we all used to exist inside Keitaro. Dormant like, ya know? Or at least, some of my own personal memories start up from the first time Keitaro listened to that song. I guess that means that's when I first came to be inside his sub-conscience. He almost never released me. The others might not remember it but I do. Keitaro...he used almost all them. The times when he needed that confidence boost, he'd always turn to KC. Whenever he was scared, chicken shit was always was shaking with him. Whenever he need brains, Brains would pop up to help him. Whenever he needed to relax, he called upon Naruto to help him have fun. The one he almost always called upon was Kintaro for kindness. But me, I was always repressed. That song though...it always helped regain some momentum and made my faint existence worth the wild. It helped me live with the thought of being repressed. In other ways, you can say that song also repressed me as well. Calmed me down and whatnot. Not just that song but a lot of songs. Keitaro used to listen to a lot of music in order to keep his cool.
Everyone has one of us inside them. Keitaro, Naru, Motoko, even Haitani and Shirai. Everyone has different personalities to fit each situation. Depending on the person, some of us are more dominant then others.
I don't know why but that one song just popped up in my mind when I woke up. The sun was hitting my eye. I woke up and felt like lighting up a cigarette. Good thing I moved out of Shinobu's room. I reluctantly moved in with Keitaro for a while but now I got my own room else where in the dorm. Unfortunately, its a bit on the small side compared to the others but it at least still has a nice window.
Anywho, I go to my drawer and open it to see if I have anymore cigarettes left.
"Damn...I don't have anymore. I guess I'll borrow some more from Haruka. I gotta get a job," I think as I'm scratching my head.
Oh yeah, I suppose I should mention that I smoke a bit. When you live in a house as crazy as this, smoking helps calm down ya nerves.
I get dressed and go down to the first floor into the dining room. Everyone's already up.
"Would you look at them? They don't even know Keitaro's gone," I think.
"Ah good morning Sempai," I hear Shinobu say to me from the kitchen, waving in her school uniform.
"Yeah. Too damn bright if ya ask me," I reply back. Why the hell is it just damn bright in the morning anyway?
Shinobu giggles. "Its beautiful morning if you ask me Sempai."
'Good thing I wasn't asking' was what I was going to say but I'm too tired to make a comeback.
"Yeah whatever. What's for breakfast?"
"Just the usual. I was in a bit of rush. Now go on sit down," she says ushers me to the table and sits me down...in Keitaro's spot. Again.
Six weeks have passed I truly came to be. She's been doing this since the day following that incident. At first I thought it to be her just confusing me with Keitaro. Of course, that was at first. By now I realize that to her, there is no difference. I'm Keitaro to her.
As she puts my food in front of me, I see the only other ones still eating are Kintaro and the bitch. That fucking hypocritical bitch. She's fucking feeding Kintaro as if she's the nicest fucking person in the world. Using her own chopsticks to feed him, and he's of course looking fucking happy.
"Well look at the happy fucking couple. Seriously, cut this shit out. Its too damn early in the morning for this lovey-dovey crap," I say as I'm eating some rice.
Naru looks/glares at me. "Well who asked you to eat here?!"
"Actually, Shinobu did, bitch."
"Well we didn't!" Naru stands up, slamming her hands on the table.
Just as she's about to get into another rant, probably about how I'm nothing like "her precious Kintaro" the bastard in question puts her hand oh Naru's shoulder.
"It's ok Naru. Perhaps we shouldn't eat like this around other people." He smiles.
"Uh...Alright Kintaro. If you say so," Naru says blushing. "I have morning classes to get to anyway." She kisses him on the cheek, waves and runs out the door.
That smile. The same smile that means "everything's alright" type of smile. The same one that Keitaro would give her. Aesthetically the same. The difference? Keitaro and Kintaro are two completely different people to Naru. Keitaro, to her, is the most perverted man on the face of the Earth with no good qualities whatsoever. Kintaro is just the perfect man. No downsides whatsoever.
Well, life is (too short), so love the one you got
'Cause you might get runover or ya might get shot
Never start no static I just off my chest
Never had to battle with no bulletproof vest
Well there's another part. Why is it that I can only remember one part of the song at one
time and completely forget the rest?
I finish up my rice and decide to go to Haruka's to get some more cigarettes. After all, if Naru left, that probably means Shinobu left as well. Who knows where Su is. And Motoko is probably still in bed either KC. I swear, I may not be parent but even I fucking know he's no good for her. That, and she looks like she's put on a few pounds.
As, I'm about to walk out the door, I see Kitsune and Naruto watching some early morning horse races, with an open bottle of Sake in between them. I swear, that shit is nasty. They buy the crappy kind. I don't give a fuck what Kitsune says, that sake tastes like crap.
Anyways, I head out the door and down those oh so evil stairs. Who the hell thought those stairs would be nice touch? Too much of work out if you ask me. So I get down to Haruka's cafe and open the door.
"Yo, Haruka. You got anymore cigarettes I can borrow?" I ask as soon as the door is wide open. Her cafe gets busy but its too early for customers to even begin to trickle in.
"And good morning to you too, Thing," Haruka says still wiping down a table, without looking up to acknowledge me.
Yeah, here's the damnest thing. She calls me "Thing". Not even a proper nickname. What kind of asshole nickname's someone "Thing" as fucking a nickname? I'd swear only one ignorant of the world can get away with that. Well then, she usually calls all of us that. Never once since the six weeks we've been here as she confused any one of us, replicas I suppose, with Keitaro and hasn't even bothered to give us another name.
"Yeah, whatever. Good morning old lady Haruka. Now do you have an extra pack of cigarettes? I'm out and need some." I put my left hand in my pocket and my right hand, my pinky to be exact, is currently digging for treasure in a place I like to call "My Nose".
"And why do you need cigarettes again?" Haruka keeps doing this every fucking time. Delaying and asking me the same question and never looking up.
"Cause I'm out and if I don't get any I'll go insane, just like you would if you had to live in that damn house with those crazy people," I shrug. Same question, same answer. Annoying ain't it.
"You know, Keitaro lived in that 'damn house' with those 'crazy people' for a few years and never needed a cigarette..." Haruka once again mentions.
"Well I'm not that dense to know I'm not wanted."
"Then why do you still live there?"
"I need a place to crash don't I?"
A small pack then comes flying at me, to which I catch.
"Well thank ya kindly Haruka. Was that really so hard?" I tease, grinning with my teeth out.
"Just get out of here, Thing," she says as she turns her back to me to go to the back.
"Well now what's this, dearest Haruka," I continue my teasing. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you didn't like me or any of us much," I laugh.
She then turns her head just enough to where I can see one eye glaring.
"Oh. I guess you really aren't completely dense then."
I swear, you could practically hear the venom dripping from her voice when she said that.
"Well then, see ya later. Old Lady Haruka," I spout while I'm closing the door to get out.
Now usually, if Keitaro called Aunt Haruka, she'd be mad and hit him with big ass fan. Probably would hit him harder if he called her "Old Lady Haruka". But with us, she won't even bother lifting a finger.
It all comes back to you , you finally get what you deserve
Try and test that you're bound to get served
Yeah...That pretty much summed up that little thing with Haruka. Heh, but what do I care?
Going back those damn stairs again, I head to my room and lite me up that cigarette. Yes, I know they're fucking bad for me but as the smoke fills my lungs, any tension I had leaves me. I get calm. Now it feels it good now but I know a few years later I'll be paying for it but hell. Gotta live in the present right?
So I decide to lay there, just smoke my cancer stick. I go through a few them and before I know it, its around noon. When you got nothing to do, time usually passes by slowly. The damnest thing, when you're doing nothing, time can go both fast and slow.
By now, the only ones left in the house are probably Kitsune and Naruto. Knowing those two, they're probably cooking up some scheme for Keitaro to fit into. Too bad for them, he's not here.
"He really did leave didn't he?" I ask myself.
Live as yourself?...You haven't been living your own lives since you came to being...Just fakes...Not human...Humans have more then one side to display...Make your own identity, not just live off of mine...Not human...Not human
"Bastard. We're alive aren't we? Isn't that enough?" I look at the ceiling, as if it will answer my questions.
I slowly begin to get up. I've been lazy enough for today, I figure. I walk out of my room.
"I guess since he ain't here, I'll do some of his chores. Pass the time I guess," is my insane reasoning to keep myself occupied.
(Several hours later or around 7 o' clock)
I. Fucking. Hate. Kitsune. And. Naruto. Fucking assholes! I couldn't get any fucking work done. I first tried to clean the hot springs, I figured I'd get that done first. What happens? I put up a huge fucking sign with the words "STAY OUT! CLEANING!" What do ya know? Motoko just happens to conveniently strolls on. Promptly calls me a pervert and then I promptly get sent flying since I was, in all honesty, not expecting anyone to come in. Caught me completely off guard. I get back from my little trip to see Kitsune and Naruto high five each other and seem to be laughing their asses off.
Next, I try and wash some of the windows. I use that rope thing that Keitaro used. Now, I know the rope is strong enough to hold me so when it snapped and broke, which caused me to fall on my ass, I looked up and saw Kitsune and Naruto once again. Big pair of scissors, laughing and yelling out "SUCCESS!"
But that wasn't the worst. No. They get even eviler. After I recovered to the point where it doesn't hurt to sit down, I finally make myself some cheap ramen noodles. I go away for just one minute to get some chopsticks and come back to see that Naruto has eaten my noodles.
"BASTARD!! GIVE ME BACK MY NOODLES!" I yell at the top of my lungs as I'm chasing the little asshole down.
Naruto, still running, looks back and laughs, "You can have them back in a few days but I'm not sure you'll want them anymore!"
Now while it is true that I probably won't want them by then, it doesn't mean I can't kick his fucking ass for eating my food right? OF COURSE! So yeah, I caught him a few minutes later and gave him a hit on the head he'd soon not forgot (it was beautiful type of bump too).
Well, I got pissed off so I decided just to leave after that. You know, walk around a bit.
"Its getting late," I say as I see street lights turning on as the sun goes down.
As I'm walking around, I hear what sounds like a cow trying to sing "Celebrate Good Times". I turn to see a sign for a bar.
"Karaoke Night? No wonder. Might as well check it. If anything I'll get a good laugh out of it right?" I think as I walk in the door.
The bar itself is nothing special. It kind of reminds me of those bars you see in American movies. There is, of course, the bar on my left, a few tables, a dimlighted room, and a small stage. Kind of smoky in here too. There aren't too many people here. They're sparsely set around different tables. And of course, there is that idiot attempting to sing on stage.
I walk on over to the bartender. "Hey, is there a list for the karaoke mic or can anyone just take it?"
The bartender, looking up from washing his cup, looks at me a bit. "Well, if you aren't as bad of a singer as that guy, I'll let you have your turn now."
"Never tried this before. I don't think I'll be that bad though. Not drunk yet."
"True. Anywho, I'll set it up to where you're next."
"Cool. Thanks."
Woah. I just said thanks. Maybe I'm letting that small conscience of mine slip out too much.
It doesn't take more than a few minutes, a few extra beers for the craptasic singer, to finally get to my turn. I walk up to the tiny stage and look around. There seem to be more people than I thought. At least 20. What the hell did I get myself into?
"SING, SING, SING," the drunk people start chanting.
I'll admit, its a little intimidating to be up here. Why I decided to come up here I'll never be sure but I would remember that this would be the start...
"To being a human," I thought.
Early in the morning, risen' into the streets
Light me up that cigarette and I strap shoes on my feet
Got to find a reason, a reason things went wrong
Got to find a reason why my money's all gone
I got a dalmation, and I can still get high
I can play the guitar like a mother fucking riot
Well life is (too short), so love the one you got
'Cause you might get runover or you might get shot
Never start no static I just get off my chest
Never had to battle with no bulletproof vest
Take a small example, take a tip from me
Take all of your money, give it all to charity
Love is what I got
It's within my reach
And the Sublime style's still straight from Long Beach
It all comes back to you, you'll finally get what you deserve
Try and test that you're bound to get served
Love's what I got
Don't start a riot
You'll feel it when the dance gets hot
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got
Well I don't cry when my dog runs away
I don't get angry at the bills I have to play
I don't get angry when my Mom smokes pot
Hits the bottle and goes back to the rock
Fuckin' and fightin', its all the same
Livin' with Louie dog's the only way stay sane
Let the lovin', let the lovin' come back to me
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I said remember that
Lovin', is what I got, I got I got I got
The sound next was a surprise...
(A few hours later)
I feel good. I just got back home, actually grinning in happiness. I go to my room and just lay down on my bed.
"That felt good. To be up there and sing," I keep thinking.
The small crowd started to clap. Apparently I didn't butcher the song as badly as I thought. I walked on over to the bartender.
"Hey kid. Ya did pretty good, eh? To tell ya the truth, I was suppose to have a band play tonight but they canceled last minute. I had to set up karaoke night pretty fast. Brought in some good money so I ain't complaining," the bartender said, leaning over the bar.
"Ya don't say? So why are you telling me this?" I look at him and ask with my right eyebrow raised.
"Well, ya looked like ya had good time. And since this little mistake is making me money, I figured I should tell ya in case you want to come back, ya?"
"So what? You want me back or something?"
"Yeah. You good kid. Really good. Now, I won't charge you for now but next time I will."
"You still haven't explained jack to me."
"Damn. You pretty dense. What I'm saying is that I need someone to be up there and sing good so people will have good time listening to music. Maybe even go up and sing."
"You're not making any sense in that logic but I guess I'll comeback."
Seriously. That motherfucker wasn't making any sense but hell. I don't mind. I actually liked singing up there.
"Now to get some money," I thought before I went to sleep.
(Another timeskip for morning transition)
This morning felt different in someway. I understand why. I was about to change everything about myself. The first step: When I went down for breakfast, Shinobu once again tried to sit me down in Keitaro's seat. I didn't. I refuse and sat down in other place. Shinobu may have been visibly sadden but it couldn't be helped. That seat is for Keitaro, when he decides to get his ass back here.
The next step was going down to Haruka's. I gave her back her cigarettes. I told her simply, "I don't need them anymore." I then asked for a part time job. After all, if I want to keep singing like that, I'm gonna need some money. Now of course she gave me a small job but since I'm not her Keitaro, I was cleaning the toilets, dishes, and being a busboy to the evil assholes she calls customers.
Yeah. Slowly, I think I'm ready for change. Believe it.
Finally! Done with this chapter. I admit the ending wasn't that good but oh well. The whole chapter felt pretty good. And its longer. According to the word count, its well over 3,000 words! A new record indeed. Anywho, the next chapter should be about Keitaro and what happens with Tsuruko. I've also begun to plan for another clone to change as well. He's gonna be fun to do, and a slight rip-off of another "real-life" story but its all good!
Well, R&R.
